According to El Universal, a possible payroll was found in a cabin in Tapalpa, Jalisco, where Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, alias 'El Mencho', leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), spent his final moments. The document reveals that the CJNG pays its gunmen and 'muchachos de choke' 4,000 pesos per week, equivalent to 16,000 pesos monthly. This is the salary for those in the first line of defense, responsible for carrying rifles, guarding territories, and participating in clashes. The document is a detailed record of payments made by the CJNG at different organizational levels. The list includes over 30 gunmen with a weekly salary of 4,000 pesos, registered under aliases such as 'Sombra', 'Birlos', 'Kike', and others. One profile identified as 'Pistolero Mini', nicknamed 'Japo', received 7,000 pesos weekly. Above them are commanders with differentiated salaries: 'Moreno' with 7,000 pesos; 'Cosa' and 'Timo' with 6,000; while 'Toño', 'TragaBalas', and 'Placas' are registered at 4,000 pesos. In the 'Gastos de Sayula' section dated December 6, 2025, payments to 36 'halcones' (hawks) are recorded at 2,000 pesos each, totaling 72,000 pesos in a single week. These individuals monitor authorities to anticipate criminal groups. In addition, there are 4 'Base Halcones' for 12,000 pesos, 4 'Relevos Base Halcones' for another 12,000, and 3 'Corredores Halcones' for 9,000 pesos; surveillance expenses alone exceed 100,000 pesos weekly. The same section includes 11,000 pesos for gasoline and operational costs for 'halcones', 30,000 pesos under 'Pago Negros', 10,000 for office rent 'Choke', and 7,000 for 'halcones' base rent. The list also amounts labeled 'Policía Sayula' for 236,000 pesos, 'Policía Azayac' for 106,000, 'Policía Amacueca' for 74,000, and 'Policía Vial Estado' for 2,000 pesos. The specific concept of these payments is not clarified. In December, the payroll shows expenses of 5,898,724 pesos for 2,100 food packages and 865,200 pesos for stickers to identify them. During the holiday season, the cartel allocated nearly six million pesos to distribute support marked with its own label. This figure is greater than the 928,000 pesos assigned to the 'Muchachos'. The cartel not only paid its operational structure but also financed its base construction in the communities where it operates. In the same month, the cartel led by 'El Mencho' reflected some of its variable expenses in a list called 'La Virgen', showing disbursements of 1.7 million pesos. The highest amounts were concentrated in aliases like 'Diablo', 'Chikillo', and 'Torpedo', but there were also bonuses and aguinaldo for a group of '15 señoras' dedicated to packaging, reinforcing the idea of a structure that combines armed operations and a social base. In addition to expenses, the criminal organization also reported earnings in December of 17,127,774 pesos, plus 500,000 pesos from slot machines in Cocula and Tapalpa. Notably, 1.5 million pesos were deducted from the 'fondo' by a commander identified as 'Diablo', leaving the cartel with a balance of 15.6 million free pesos. This amount represents less than ten percent of the income and apparently did not compromise the month's finances, corresponding only to two municipalities documented in the papers. If in just two locations the monthly collection exceeds 17 million pesos, then the real dimension of the structure in the rest of the country is greater.
